Beet piling machine



Feb. 23, 1937. HARTBURG 2,071,743

BEST FILING MACHINE Filed Aug. 27, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

/-/. L flar/gcq TTORNEY.

Feb. 23, 1937. H HARTBURG 2,071,743

BEET PILING MACHINE Filed Aug. 27, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q (Q INVENTOR. L Ha -#507 BY q KTTORNEY.

s'sheets-sneet 5 Feb. 23, 1937. H. 1.. HARTBURG BEET FILING MACHINE Filed Aug. 27, 1934 INVENTOR.

/V- L Harfu Feb. 23, 1937. H H B 2,071,743

BEET FILING MACHINE Filed Aug.v2 7, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

/7. L. f/ar/uy ATTORNEY.

Feb. 23, 1937.

H. L. HARTBURG 2,071,743

BEET PIL ING MACHINE Filed Au-g. 27, 1934 5 Shets-Shget 5 INVENTOR.

. b. L Har/ug Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNiTED SAT FFlE Application August 2'7,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to beet piling machines of the general type used at sugar beet factories to gather beets unloaded from wagons and other conveyances which carry them from the fields 5 where they are grown, into piles or in some instances directly into railway cars or trucks.

Machines of this character, commonly employ an elevator which carries the beets unloaded from the field wagons, to an elevated point of delivery above a screen which separates the dirt from the beets and moves the latter onto a conveyor which transports them to the pile or railway car, while the separated dirt is usually returned to the wagon.

15 All of the elements employed in the above stated operations are found in the present invention, in improved form and arrangement, it being the primary object of the invention to provide by such improvements, a machine which may be produced and operated at a considerably reduced expense, which by a simplified construction of its constituent elements lessens to a point of elimination, periods of inactivity by reason of repairs or renewal of broken or worn out parts and which in general combines with greater efficiency, simplicity and practicability in use.

It is to be understood that while the improvements hereinafter to be described in detail, are particularly adapted for use in connection with beet piling machines of the above stated character, they are applicable either separately or conjointly to other apparatus employing one or more of the elements of the present invention.

A beet piling machine in which the improvements according to the invention are embodied, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the several views of which corresponding parts are similarly designated.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a plan view of the machine,

Figure 2 is a partially sectional side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figures l and 5 are fragmentary vertical sections. showing two positions of the elevator-element in the operation of the machine, drawn to a larger scale,

Figure 6 is an enlarged section along the line 6-45 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is an enlarged section taken on the line 'l-'l of Figure 3,

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower portion of the elevator at the rising side thereof,

1934, Serial No. 741,574

Figure 9 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 8 looking in the direction of the arrow 9,

Figure 10 is a transverse section taken on the line Iii-l0, Figure 9, drawn to a larger scale,

Figure 11 is a face view of a portion of the main belt of the elevator element of the machine, and

Figure 12 is an enlarged section in the plane indicated by the line l2-l2 in Figure 11.

Referring further to the drawings, the beet piling machine comprises a frame supported for ready transportation upon endless tractorbelts G of the crawler tread type. These belts are carried by wheels or drums l mounted for rotation on the frame, and operatively connected with an engine 8 which may be of any desirable construction to be energized by electricity or by combustion of a motive fluid. It will be apparent without further illustration, that the driving connection of the motor with the traction element may be controlled by means of a clutch within reach of the operator of the machine.

After the machine has been placed in adjacency to the place at which the beets are to be dumped, the wagons or trucks which carry the beets from the field on which they were grown, are driven to a position alongside of the machine beneath a hoisting element which moves the boX of the truck or wagon to a slanting position for the discharge of its contents into a hopper associated with the elevator-element of the machine.

It is a distinctive feature of the present machine that the wagons or trucks remain constantly on a level with the ground, thereby distinguishing from other machines of similar type in which the wagons are driven onto an incline to dump their loads into the receiving hopper of the elevator-structure.

In case of soft soils, a portable platform may be used to provide a firm support for the wagons, which platform may be attached to the machine if so desired. This obvious arrangement has not been shown in the drawings. The hoisting element designated by the letter A, comprises a frame 9 preferably of V-shaped form, which is pivoted on the main frame of the machine as at it. The pivoted frame projects normally in a horizontal position over the space at the side of the machine occupied by the wagons, one of which has been shown at l2 in Figure 2.

The V-shaped frame is suspended at its outer extremity from the drum of a friction hoist i3 by means of a flexible cable M which passes around a drum l5 on the frame. A flexible brace It; may be employed to support the frame in its horizontal position and a weight l! at the end of the frame facilitates its return movement after each operation.

Suspended from the outer end of the pivoted overhead frame, is a chain l8 and/or cable it provided with a hook 26 to engage on the underside of the wagon box 2! as shown in Figure 2. When it is desired to tilt the box to its dumping position, the frame 9 is moved about its pivotal axis by means of the hoist 53, thereby causing a pivotal movement of the box 2i as is shown in broken lines in Figure 2. It is to be noted that the overhead frame is pivoted directly over the point of pivot of the wagon box thereby maintaining the chain or cable constantly in a substantially vertical position. The use of a hoist of the friction type, permits of raising the wagon box to any desired height and of stopping or holding the box at any point.

When the box is empty, the combined weights of the frame and the box return the parts to their original normal positions.

The beets discharged from the wagon box are received in a hopper 22 which in turn delivers its contents onto the elevator-element of the machine designated in its entirety by the letter B.

This elevator has the particular advantage of carrying the beets to an elevated point of delivery without crushing or otherwise damaging the same and with little or no spilling. It consists of a main belt 23 and an auxiliary belt 24 which cooperate to the above stated purpose. Both belts are endless and are supported in cooperative relation upon drums and pulleys as follows:

The main belt passes across two drums 25 and 25 of the slatted or so-called lantern type, which are mounted for rotation at the lower part of the main supporting frame. lwo short idler rollers 2i engage the inner surface of the belt along its edges, in the manner indicated in Figures 4 and 5. These rollers are pivoted to the stub shafts 39 which also serve as pivots for the skirt plates 38. Idler rollers 27 hold the lower stretch of the belt in a substantially horizontal position and a plurality of rollers 28 support this horizontal stretch against sagging.

The drum 25 is disposed at an elevation somewhat higher than that of the idlers 27 so that the belt passes onto this drum in an upwardly inclined direction.

The upper stretches of the belt converge toward the periphery of a drum 29 at the top of the supporting frame, and these stretches of the belt are supported by idlers 3G and 3!. The idlers 38 also support the auxiliary belt as will be further explained.

The auxiliary 24 is disposed inside the other belt. It passes around the drum 25 conjointly with the main belt and it lies flat against the underside of the main belt at the rising side thereof. As stated hereinbefore, both belts are supported in these relative positions by the idlers 30. At the opposite edges of the rising or working side of the elevator, are side plates 32 which prevent the beets from spilling sideways of the belts.

The plates 32 are fastened to adjacent parts of the machine frame by bolts 33 passing through slotted angle bars 34 on the plates as best shown in Figure 19, which arrangement permits of a limited lateral adjustment of the plates.

The auxiliary belt 24 rides around idlers 35 and 36, the lower one of which is disposed relative to the drum 25 to form a triangular space 31 which in the operation, provides an entrance for the beets as they pass from the hopper 22 onto the lower stretch of the main belt 23.

At opposite sides of this space, are floating skirt-plates 38 pivoted as at 39 on the shaft of the idlers 21, and loosely supported upon the lower belt to close the entrance at the sides thereof and thereby prevent spilling of the beets.

The two belts cooperate to elevate the beets between them, and the main belt is to this end capable of movement away from the auxiliary belt when the beets move between the belts at the working side of the elevator from the tapering entrance 3? into which they passed from the hopper 22.

With this object in view, the boxes which support the drum 26 are positioned between the boxes 4!) for the carriage axles and are supported by Wheeled carriages ll which move in guide ways 42, against the restricting influence of weights 43 on cords 4 lwhich are fastened to the carriages, and ride over pulleys 45 and 45. When the beets move between the belts from the entrance 37, the outer belt thus separates automatically from the auxiliary belt and the two belts carry the beets between them to an elevated point of delivery at the top of the machine. In order to hold the beets between the belts without injuring them by undue pressure the outer belt at the rising side of the elevator is subjected to yielding pressure by rollers 47 on slanting arms t? which are fastened on rotary shafts 49 supported crosswise of the belts on the side plates 32. Springs 56 connect crankarms 5! at the ends of the shafts 49 with stationary parts of the main. frame, thereby holding the rollers yieldingly in contact with the outer belt.

To prevent the beets from being crushed as they move around the drum 25, the auxiliary belt is sufllciently flexible to curve into the spaces of the drum which as best shown in Figure 7 is composed of tubular rods 52 between flanged heads 53. This action has been illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings.

The flanged heads prevent the beets from spilling sideways as they pass around the drum and in order to prevent binding upon the edges of the belts, they are free to move laterally to a limited extent.

The heads are to this end provided with studs '54 which are loosely inserted into the ends of the circular series of spaced rods 52. Fastened upon the shaft 55 of the drum is a core or hub 56 of double conical form which causes dirt and other foreign matter which might pass between the rods, to be deflected outwardly through central openings of the flanges 53.

The beets carried upwardly between the belts 23 and 24 of the elevator-element are delivered at the upper end of the same into a hopper 51 which has its discharge end above a screen 58 of the kicker type which, per se, is not a part of the present invention and need not be described in detail.

The screen separates adherent dirt from the beets, and the dirt passing through the screen falls onto a normally stationary endless belt 59 which is supported in a substantially horizontal position by rollers 68. One of these rollers is connected with the power plant to be driven at the will of the operator through the medium of a clutch shown at 6! in Figure 1, so that the belt may be moved lengthwise to discharge the dirt at suitable intervals. The dirt discharged from the belt falls into the wagon or truck by which the beets Were carried to the machine after the box thereof has been returned to its normal position,

and is thus removed from'the machine to a convenient dumping place. By first weighing the wagon together with the beets and then weighing the wagon with the dirt only,the net weight of the load of beet roots may be computed.

The beets discharged from the screen 58 pass into a hopper 62, and thence onto an endless conveyer belt 63 on a boom 64, which carries them to the dumping place or into trucks or railway cars as the case may be.

The boom may be moved relative to the frame of the machine, on which it is pivotally supported, to discharge the beets at different points withi the range of its limited movement. I

The machine furthermore carries a tare house shown at 65, where samples of the beets may be taken in order to determine their sugar-content. The samples are cleaned and weighed in this tare house and tested by conventional means.

It is obviously necessary that the two belts of the elevator move at equal rates of speed, and it is also apparent that by omitting the truck upon which the machine is carried, the entire assemblage as shown and herein described may be installed as a stationary unit.

The main belt of the elevator-element is preferably constructed in the manner illustrated in Figures 11 and 12.

The belt proper is reenforced by transverse stiffener bars 66 fastened at the outside of the belt, 1. e. the side opposite to the load side of the same.

Between the bars 66, are placed flexible filler strips 61 which allow the belt to ride smoothly over the rollers 28 carried by the hopper 22.

The object of the stiffener bars is to prevent the belt 23 from flexing or bowing upward at the point where the idlers 21 ride on the carrying side of the belt at the outlet end of the hopper. The idlers 21, are spaced apart soas to not obstruct the movement of the beets carried by the belt.

All of the elements of the machine are driven from the one power plant shown at 8, the power transmission being effected by a suitable arrangement of belts, pulleys, sprocket chains, and other movement-transmitting devices in the following manner, it being observed that the character and arrangement of such means may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

A fly-wheel 68 on the drive shaft of the power plant 8, drives a wheel 69 on a line-shaft 10 by means of a multiple belt H. A sprocket wheel 12 on the shaft 16 drives a sprocket wheel 13 by means of a chain 74 which also drives a sprocket wheel 75. A sprocket wheel 16 on the shaft of the sprocket wheel 75 gives motion to a sprocket wheel 11 and this arrangement of sprocket wheels and chains operates the rollers of the screen 58, which are interconnected for simultaneous rotation by sprocket wheels and chains as best shown in Figure 2.

A sprocket wheel 18 on the last roll of the series drives the hoist l3 through the medium of a chain l9 and a sprocket wheel on a shaft 8! which by means of a pinion and gear rotates the drum of the hoist.

A suitable clutch permits the operator to control the movements of the hoist.

The conveyor 63 on the boom 64 is driven from the line shaft 10 by means of a chain 82 and a sprocket wheel 83.

The intermittently actuated dirt belt 59 is driven from the line shaft by a chain 84, the clutch 5| mentioned hereinbefore, controlling the rotative continuity between the line shaft and the belt.

The main belt 23 of the elevator is driven by means of a chain 85 and a sprocket wheel 86 on the drum 29, from a shaft 81 which carries the upper roller 88 of the auxiliary belt 24 of'the elevator which receives its movement from a jack shaft 89 by means of a chain 90, the shaft 89 being driven from the line shaft 10 by a chain 90'. A belt 9| drives the wheels of the traction belts 6, by suitable connection with the power plant.

What Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.1In a machine of the character described, two moving endless belts having rising stretches in load-engaging adjacency to each other, the belts being separated from each other at the foot end of their rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for material into a space between said stretches, one of the belts being capable'of yielding movement away from the other, and a drum supporting the belts at the outlet of said entrance, and having peripheral openings to admit portions of one of the belts under pressure of a load between the belts as they move around the drum.

2. In a machine of the character described, two moving endless belts having rising stretches in load-engaging adjacency to each other, the belts being separated from each other at the foot end of their rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for material into a space between said stretches, one of the belts being capable of yielding movement away from the other, and a drum supporting the belts at the outlet of said entrance and having laterally movable heads, to prevent binding upon the edges of the belts as they pass around the drum.

3. In a machine of the character described, two moving endless belts having rising stretches in load-engaging adjacency to each other, the belts being separated from each other at the foot end oftheir rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for material into a space between said stretches, one of the belts being capable of yielding movement away from the other, and a drum supporting the belts at the outlet of said entrance and composed of a body portion having slots between tubular rods, and heads having studs telescoping with said rods, to move laterally relative to the belts.

4. In a machine of the character described, two moving endless belts having rising stretches in load-engaging adjacency to each other, the belts being separated from each other at the foot end of their rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for material into a space between said stretches, one of the belts being capable of yielding movement away from the other, and a peripherally slotted drum supporting the belts at the outlet of said entrance, and having an outwardly tapering core for the discharge of matter passing through the peripheral slots.

5. In a machine of the character described, two moving endless belts having rising stretchesin load-engaging adjacency to each other, the belts being separated from each other at the foot end of their rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for material into a space between said stretches, one of the belts being capable of yielding movement away from the other, floating plates at the sides of said entrance to prevent sideways spilling of material as it passes to a space between the belts, pivots for the floating plates and short idler rollers mounted on the pivots for engaging the inner surface of the belt along its edges.

6. In a machine of the character described, two moving endless belts having rising stretches in load-engaging adjacency to each other, the belts being separated from each other at the foot end of their rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for material into a space between said stretches, one of the belts being capable of yielding movement away from the other, and pivoted plates at the sides of said entrance to prevent sideways spilling of material as it passes to a space between the belts.

7. In a machine of the character described, an elevator comprising a main endless belt, an auxiliary endless belt inside the other, the two belts having rising stretches in load-carrying adjacency to each other, the belts being separated at the foot of their rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for the passage of material into a space between the same, and drums supporting the belts at the upper ends of their rising stretches, the drum of the auxiliary belt being lower than that of the main belt for the discharge of material carried between the belts, and the main belt being mounted for yielding movement away from the auxiliary belt.

8. In a machine of the character described, an elevator comprising a main endless belt, an auxiliary endless belt inside the other, the two belts having rising stretches in load-carrying adjacency to each other, the belts being separated at the foot of their rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for the passage of material into a space between the same, a drum supporting both belts at the outlet of said entrance, and drums supporting the belts at the upper ends of their rising stretches, the drum of the auxiliary belt being lower than that of the main belt for the discharge of material carried between the belts, and the main belt being mounted for yielding movement away from the auxiliary belt.

9. In a machine of the character described, an elevator comprising an endless belt, drums for the support of said belt in triangular form, inclusive of a substantially horizontal lower stretch and a slanting rising stretch, an auxiliary endless belt inside the other belt, having a stretch extending along the rising stretch of the same, one of the drums of the first-mentioned belt being mounted to permit of a separative movement of the rising stretch of the same, and means to yieldingly oppose said movement of said drum.

10. In a machine of the character described, an elevator comprising an endless belt, drums for the support of said belt in triangular form,in-= clusive of a substantially horizontal lower stretch and a slanting rising stretch, idlers supporting said lower stretch, an auxiliary endless belt inside the other belt, having a stretch extending along the rising stretch of the same, one of the drums of the first-mentioned belt being mounted to' permit of a separative movement of the rising stretch of the same, and means to yieldingly oppose said movement of said drum.

11. In a machine of the character described, an elevator comprising an endless belt, drums for the support of said belt in triangular form, inclusive of a substantially horizontal lower stretch and a slanting rising stretch, idlers supporting said lower stretch, the belt being reenforced by transverse stiffener bars and carrying flexible filler strips at its side engaging with the idlers, an auxiliary endless belt inside the other belt, having a stretch extending along the rising stretch of the same, one of the drums of the first-mentioned belt being mounted to permit of a separative movement of the rising stretch of the same, and means to yieldingly oppose said movement of said drum.

12. In a machine of the character described, two moving endless belts, having rising stretches in load-engaging adjacency to each other, the belts being separated from each other at the foot of their rising stretches to provide a tapering entrance for material into a space between said stretches, one of the belts being capable of yielding movement away from the other, and a drum supporting the belts at said entrance, and having laterally movable heads adapted for selective positioning relative to the belts.

13. A machine of the class described, comprising in combination, an endless main belt, drums for the support of said belt in triangular form inclusive of a substantially horizontal lower stretch and an upwardly rising stretch, an auxiliary endless belt positioned inside of the main belt and bearing on the drum at the bottom of the rising stretch, means comprising a drum located below the top of the rising stretch of the main belt for holding a stretch of the auxiliary belt in parallel relation to the rising stretch of the main belt, and a third drum engaging the inner surface of the auxiliary belt and spaced from the common drum at the bottom of the rising stretch .to form a straight stretch in the auxiliary belt at an angle to the corresponding portion of the main belt.

HERMAN L. HARTBURG. 

